Monday, May 23, 2011

IAF Chief Scopes Out PAK FA, Upgraded MiG-29

Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Naik today witnessed a flight of the fifth generation concept Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA at Zhukovsky outside Moscow. Naik, who retires at the end of July, is in Russia on a week-long official visit. The chief also received a full briefing on the programme at the Gromov institute on the PAK FA. There's more in this TASS report (translate).

The current version of PAK FA is a single seater aircraft. India has joined hands with Russia to develop a two seater version which is the requirement projected by IAF and is expected to induct the later in 200-250 nos. The current flying prototype is for Russian Air Force.

Okay guys here is the translation.. Never translate Russian in Google or PROMT ;)

Moscow 23rd May. The Sukhoi Company is successfully continuing the Flight Testing of PAK-FA. The two test prototypes have completed around 60 test flights, according to the press release of Sukhoi.

Today at LII Gromov (Letno isledovatleskii institute) Flight Research Institute (Basically FTC) an Indian Delegation headed by ACM PV Naiak was given a presentation and flight demonstration. From the Russian side, President of UAC (United Aircraft Corp) Mikhail Pogosyan, Head of Rosoboronexport and delegates from the Russian Air force were present.

Based on the prototype shown to the Indian delegates, India and Russia will work on a Future Multirole Fighter. This is by far the biggest joint project between India and Russia. On 18th Oct 2007, in Moscow at a conference of Indo-Russian Intergovernmental MTC, signed an agreement which forms the basis for this project.

In December 2010, during the visit of the Russian President Dimitry Medvedev to India, HAL and Sukhoi signed a contract on the joint development of the Aircraft Technical Design Requirements. This is the first in a long line of documents that will regulate the terms and conditions imposed on either side at different stages of the project.

Mikhail Pogosyan stated that “For the UAC, Indo-Russian cooperation is a long term strategic partnership, based on half a century of cooperation between the two countries. We are not offering our Indian colleagues the best of our technology as a readymade product, but are oriented towards Joint development and cooperation between Russian and Indian firms, Joint application of engineering resources during the development stage of hi-tech aircrafts with an inherent potential to be marketed in the world market.

I am sure that joint programs in the field of military and transport aviation, is just a starting ground for expanding our partnership into the civil aviation sector".

this is certainly a good choice of aircraft, guaranteeing India's air power in the future

the two-seater version is also a superior choice in my eyes: aside from the doubling in my man power, I imagine that in any future conflict UAVs and UCAVs will be increasingly important, as will the ability to control them from forward aircraft. so with a second pilot on board, FGFAs will be able to directly control one or multiple UAVs/UCAVs, reducing the dependancy on long range (satellite) communications

IMO the lack of a two-seater version is a major flaw in both the F-22 and F-35 designs btw

5th Gen means advanced avionics and other eqps/automation which will dispense with the need for a 2nd pilot. None of the 5th Gen fighters have 2 seat configuration. Adding another pilot will severely compromise the stealth and other features of a typical 5th gen fighter. Our IAF is still thinking in terms of 4th Gen for a 5th Gen fighter i.e. generation gap not only in terms of technology but also mindset. Latest news: F35B has flown successfully. We must also think seriously about acquiring this jet for our forward bases and other amphibious operations. Now US Marines have reposed their faith on F35B the only true VSTOL jet after the venerable Harrier.

The PAK FA has only 2 prototypes? Last I heard the J-20 has around 7, which shows that the Chinese are really fast-tracking the J-20's development. This means that the J-20 could be in full production at least 2 years before the PAK FA.